NYE Retreat: Top Sales Trapped in a $10 Hostel

1
For our New Year's team-building trip, our boss, in a fit of holiday cheer, decided to fly the whole company to Miami for New Year's Eve.
But when we got there, he stuck the three of usthe company's top salespeoplein a 0-00-a-night, mixed-dorm hostel.
He and everyone else checked into a five-star private villa.
"Talented people can thrive anywhere," he'd said with a smug grin. "Consider this a little exercise to build character!"
The moment he left, Kevin, our sales king, coolly sent a single text message.
A major client immediately replied, saying they'd be delaying their final payment... by six months.
Jessica, our sales queen, made a simple phone call.
A loyal client of three years promptly announced they would not be renewing their contract.
As for me, I called my family.
"Hey, Dad? Yeah, about that ten-million-dollar contract we just nailed down... you can go ahead and scrap it."
This was beyond absurd. I've heard of bosses casting people aside once they've served their purpose, but I've never seen one chop down his own money tree at the roots.
...
To be honest, we were stunned when he led us to the front door of that grimy hostel. Before we left New York, he had promised us, his three star employees, a huge surprise.
So, the regular staff got a five-star resort, while the three of us who had single-handedly brought in nine figures of business for the company were supposed to sleep in a dorm?
Can someone please tell me what part of this is the goddamn "surprise"?
Seeing the thunderous looks on our faces, the boss clapped his hands together. "You three are the pillars of this company! Staying here will sharpen your resolve, which will only help you bring in even more business!"
Kevin was the first to snap. "Boss, this is a company retreat. What's the point of 'sharpening our resolve'?" he asked, his brow furrowed. "And why do the other employees get a five-star hotel while we don't?"
That's when the boss's wife, Brenda, let out a derisive snort. "Oh, Kevin, don't play dumb. My husband, Richard, has too soft a heart. He pays you salespeople far too much in commission! The millions you three take home every year have left the company with no money for your hotel rooms!"
Her words hit us like a slap in the face. So that was it. They thought we were overpaid.
But our commission structure was written in black and white in our contracts. We earned every penny based on our performance. And sure, our commissions were high, but the profits we brought in for them were ten times higher.
The moment I pointed this out, Brenda just smirked.
"Mia, that's where you're wrong," she said coldly. "It's the company's kindness that allows you to earn so much. The rules have nothing to do with it."
Seeing that arguing with her was pointless, Jessica turned to the boss. "Richard, you have to give us a real explanation. We've worked our asses off for you, bringing in deal after deal. Is this really how you're going to treat us?"
You could hear the hurt in her voice. Shed been with the company since the very beginning, a loyal employee who'd helped build it from the ground up.
Before Richard could even open his mouth, one of our colleagues piped up.
"Come on, Jessica. You guys make millions a year in commissions. What's the big deal about paying for your own room?"
"Yeah," another one chimed in. "If I were making that kind of money, I wouldn't even take such a high commission!"
"The boss and his wife were kind enough to give us jobs. We should show a little gratitude!"
Listening to them all brown-nosing, I couldn't hold back any longer. "That's a load of crap, and you know it," I said, my voice rising. "The company is paying for your rooms, isn't it? Boss, this retreat was supposed to be all-expenses-paid. Are you really telling us we have to cover our own accommodation?"
The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Finally, the boss spoke.
He sighed dramatically. "Kevin, Jessica, Mia... my wife is right. I've been too soft on you. The high commissions have made you all arrogant. You're our top salespeople, right? The most talented? Well, talented people can thrive anywhere. This is my final decision. Now, stop making trouble."
With that, he turned and led the rest of the staff toward their five-star paradise, leaving the three of us standing on the curb in front of a sketchy 0-00 hostel.
The second he was out of sight, all three of us pulled out our phones.
2
We all made our calls, then put our phones away in near-perfect sync.
Kevin spoke first, his voice dangerously calm. "If he wants to play dirty, so can I. That three-million-dollar payment can wait another six months."
Jessica shrugged. "Don't worry about my end. That major client I've managed for three years won't be renewing their contract next year."
I offered a sheepish smile. "And I just told my dad to kill that ten-million-dollar deal."
Truth be told, I was the youngest of the three and not quite as experienced as my two colleagues. But I had one major advantage: a very rich father. The business his company alone fed to ours was enough to keep the lights on and then some.
If our boss wanted to make an enemy of all three of us at once, then we were done playing nice. I couldn't wait to see how high and mighty he and his wife would act when their cash cows were gone.
After handling our business, we booked ourselves rooms at the same five-star resort. We were on vacation, after all. Even if we had to pay for it ourselves, we were going to enjoy it.
We had just settled in by the infinity pool, soaking up the sun, when we saw Richard and his flock of employees walking toward us.
The moment Brenda saw us, she let out a little laugh. "See, honey? I told you. They're loaded. They just paid for their own five-star rooms! The company didn't have to spend a dime!" She clapped her hands. "Actually, since you're all here, now is a perfect time to announce the twenty-one new regulations for the sales department! Listen up!"
As we stared in disbelief, she meticulously read from a list on her phone.
"Rule number one: All salespeople must strictly clock in and out at the office. Missing a punch will be treated as a three-day unexcused absence."
"Rule number two: All client chat logs must be submitted for daily review."
"Rule number three: Top-tier sales commission will be reduced from twenty percent to two percent!"
...
She wasn't even finished before the three of us burst out laughing.
As salespeople, we were constantly out of the office meeting clients. If we were forced to clock in and out like desk jockeys, how were we supposed to generate any revenue? It was obvious what this was really about: she thought we made too much money and wanted to cut our pay. But we had earned every single one of those deals.
Kevin was the first to object, but Richard just waved him off. "Kevin, you can't have a company without rules. We may be a small firm, but we need to maintain discipline."
He puffed out his chest. "Besides, if it weren't for me giving you the opportunity, would you ever have met such high-level clients? Would you have closed such massive deals? The least you could do is show some gratitude instead of complaining. You're a bunch of vipers, the lot of you!"
"What did you just call us?" I surged forward, ready to give him a piece of my mind, but Jessica grabbed my arm.
"Mia, don't," she whispered. "If this turns into a fight, we'll be the ones who lose."
I took a deep, shaky breath. She was right. There were only three of us. We were outnumbered and outgunned.
Our defiance had clearly infuriated the boss. He hadn't expected us to push back. He announced he was taking everyone else out for a lavish seafood dinner, pointedly excluding us.
"When the three of you learn how to be obedient employees, you can come and find me," he sneered, then wrapped his arm around his wife and walked away.
Kevin watched them go, his jaw tight. "That's it. I can't work here anymore. I'm quitting."
Jessica sighed. "A rival company has been trying to recruit me for ages. Maybe it's time I gave them a call."
Hearing that these two powerhouses were about to hit the market, I saw an opportunity. On the principle of not letting incredible talent go to a competitor, I put on my most charming smile.
"Kevin, Jessica," I said sweetly. "How would you two feel about coming to work for my family's company? I can personally guarantee you double the salary and commission."
3
My family's company was a publicly traded corporation, much larger than Richard's little firm. After graduation, my dad had wanted me to start there, but I'd had some misguided notion about making a name for myself without his help.
But I saw things clearly now. I was going to inherit the business eventually anyway, so what was the harm in starting a little early?
I immediately called my dad and explained the situation with Kevin and Jessica. He was so thrilled he sounded like he was about to cry.
"My darling girl!" he exclaimed. "You've just brought the company two golden geese!"
He greenlit their hiring on the spot, promising to double their salaries and commissions, just as I'd offered. Kevin and Jessica were practical people; they agreed to resign as soon as the retreat was over and start at my family's company.
The whole ordeal had forged a powerful bond between the three of us. Even though we were paying our own way, we had a fantastic time in Miami.
For the next two days, since we hadn't come crawling back to them, Richard and Brenda started posting passive-aggressive nonsense on their social media.
[Grateful employees are the best employees. I'm so blessed to have a team like this.]
The comments were a cesspool of sycophants.
[The company gives us a livelihood. Of course, we should be grateful!]
[Exactly! As an example, I'll be taking only half my commission from now on!]
[Some people are just ungrateful snakes! They've broken the boss's heart!]
Reading their posts, I could only laugh. Without the three of us, the company would have gone under years ago. There wouldn't be any commissions for them to virtuously refuse. Their petty digs didn't bother us in the slightest. In fact, I cheerfully liked all of their posts.
The day the retreat ended, the three of us got to the airport early. But when we tried to check in, the airline told us we had no return tickets.
I was floored. The company had booked round-trip tickets for everyone. How could our return flights just be... canceled?
Just then, Richard and his entourage swept into the terminal.
Jessica marched right up to them. "Brenda, did you cancel our tickets?"
Brenda smiled sweetly. "I did. So what? You three are so rich you can afford five-star hotels. Surely a little plane ticket is nothing to you. Our company is small, you know. We have to save money where we can."
"That is the lowest thing you could possibly do!" I shot back. "Even if you were going to cancel them, you should have told us! All the flights back to New York are booked. How are we supposed to get home?"
"How you get home is not our problem," Richard sneered. "And let me be clear: if you're not at your desks tomorrow morning, I'm docking a month's pay from each of you." He paused for dramatic effect. "However, since I have such a generous heart, if you agree to my wife's new sales regulations, I might be willing to give you a few extra days to find a flight."
"Those aren't regulations, they're insane!" Jessica snapped, her voice trembling with rage. "Show me one other company in New York that treats its sales team like that! Richard, I've been with you since the very beginning. Is this how you treat a loyal employee?"
"Don't you dare pull the 'loyal employee' card!" Brenda shrieked. "So what? Is your bond with my husband stronger than mine? This is our company. We make the rules! You're just a salesperson, a dime a dozen in this city. Who do you think you are?!"
Brenda's words were so vile that Jessica turned pale. Kevin looked like he was about to punch Richard in the face.
I held them both back, taking a deep breath. "Boss, does it really have to come to this?"
He practically spat on the floor. "What, you think a bunch of worthless employees have the right to challenge me? I gave you every opportunity you ever had! Cross me, and I'll make sure you never work in this city again!"
I sighed and pulled out my phone. "In that case, there's nothing left to say." I spoke into the receiver. "You can come in now."
A second later, a deafening roar filled the air. A private jet was descending, circling the airspace above the airport.

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